Schumacher Proseries 00 99 000742 User Manual

OWNER’S MANUAL  
Model PSC-12500A  
For 6 and 12-Volt Batteries  
ELECTRONIC  
BATTERY CHARGER  
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a m p  
S
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F T  
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  
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C H A R G E  
15 40  
C H A R G E  
a m p  
E N G I N E  
S T A R T  
125  
Fully Automatic  
Microprocessor Controlled  
Battery Charger with  
Engine Starter plus  
Battery Tester and  
Alternator Tester  
CAUTION:  
Read all Safety Rules and Operating Instructions,  
and follow them with each use of this product.  
Schumacher Electric Corporation  
Professional Products Division  
Mount Prospect, IL 60056 U.S.A.  
Send Warranty Product Repairs to:  
Customer Service Returns  
P.O. Box 280, 1025 E. Thompson, Hoopeston, IL 60942-0280  
Questions? Call Customer Service: 1-800-621-5485 (Hours: 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. CST)  
00-99-000742/1106  
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS  
WARNING – RISK OF EXPLOSIVE GASES  
WORKING IN VICINITY OF A LEAD-ACID BATTERY IS DANGEROUS. BAT-  
TERIES GENERATE EXPLOSIVE GASES DURING NORMAL BATTERY  
OPERATION. FOR THIS REASON, IT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE THAT  
EACH TIME BEFORE USING YOUR CHARGER, YOU READ THIS MANUAL  
AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY.  
To reduce risk of battery explosion, follow these instructions and those published by  
battery manufacturer and manufacturer of any equipment you intend to use in vicinity of  
battery. Review cautionary markings on these products and on engine.  
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS  
This manual contains important safety and operating instructions for  
WARNING: Handling the cord on this  
product or cords associated with ac-  
cessories sold with this product, may  
expose you to lead, a chemical known  
totheStateofCaliforniatocausecancer  
and birth defects or other reproductive  
harm. Wash hands after handling.  
WARNING: Battery chargers get hot  
during operation and must have proper  
ventilation. Air needs to flow around  
entire charger. Do not set charger on  
flammable materials like carpeting, up-  
holstery,paper,cardboard,etc.Charger  
may damage leather and melt plastic  
and rubber.  
• Readallinstructionsandcautionsprinted  
on the battery charger, battery, and ve-  
hicle or equipment using battery.  
HELP US HELP YOU ——  
Remember:  
• Use charger only on lead acid type  
rechargeable batteries, such as those  
used in cars, trucks, tractors, airplanes,  
vans, RVs, trolling motors, etc. This  
charger is not intended to supply power  
to a low voltage electrical system other  
than in a starter-motor application.  
Place charger as far away from the bat-  
tery being charged as the charger cables  
will permit.  
Do not expose charger to rain or snow.  
Useofanattachmentnotrecommendedor  
sold by the battery charger manufacturer  
may result in a risk of fire, electric shock,  
or injury to persons.  
Never use charger for charging dry cell  
batteries that are commonly used with  
home appliances like radios, stereos,  
remote controls, etc. These batteries  
may burst and cause personal injury.  
Never charge a frozen battery. If battery  
fluid (electrolyte) becomes frozen, bring  
battery into a warm area to thaw before  
you begin charging.  
• Do not disassemble charger. Take it to a  
qualified service professional if service  
orrepairisrequired. Incorrectassembly  
may result in fire or electrical shock.  
Never allow battery acid to drip on char-  
ger when reading specific gravity or filling  
battery.  
• Toreduceriskofelectricalshock, unplug  
thechargerfromtheoutletbeforeattempt-  
ing any maintenance or cleaning.  
Never set a battery on top of the charger.  
Neverplacechargerdirectlyabovebattery  
being charged. The gases from the battery  
will corrode and damage the charger.  
• Always charge battery in a well-venti-  
lated area.  
2
Never touch the battery clamps together  
when the charger is on. You could cause  
a spark.  
Never pull out the plug by the cord when  
unplugging the charger. Pulling on the  
cord may cause damage to the cord or  
the plug.  
Never operate charger if it has received  
a hard blow, been dropped, or otherwise  
damaged.Takeittoaqualifiedprofessional  
for inspection and repair.  
Do not operate the charger if it has a  
damaged power cord or plug. Have the  
cord replaced.  
Besuretopositionthechargerpowercord  
topreventitfrombeingsteppedon, tripped  
over, or damaged.  
PERSONAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS  
Wear complete eye and clothing  
protectionwhenworkingwithlead-acid  
batteries.  
Remove all personal metal items  
fromyourbodysuchasrings, bracelets,  
necklaces and watches, while working  
with a lead-acid battery. A battery can  
produce a short circuit current high  
enough to weld a ring (or the like) to  
metal, causing a severe burn.  
Make sure that someone is within  
range of your voice to come to your aid  
ifneededwhileyouworkwithorarenear  
a lead-acid battery.  
Take care not to drop any metal tool  
or metal object onto the battery. This  
may spark or short circuit the battery or  
anotherelectricaldevicethatmaycause  
an explosion.  
Have plenty of fresh water and soap  
nearby for use in case battery acid con-  
tacts your eyes, skin, or clothing. If this  
happens, wash immediately with soap  
and water. Then get medical attention.  
Always operate the battery charger in  
an open, well-ventilated area.  
Avoid touching your eyes while  
working with a battery. Acid particles  
(corrosion) may get into your eyes. If  
this occurs, flush eyes immediately  
with running cold water for at least 10  
minutes. Then immediately get medical  
attention.  
Never smoke or allow a spark or flame  
in the vicinity of the battery or engine.  
Batteries generate explosive gases.  
Neutralize any acid spills thoroughly  
with baking soda before attempting to  
clean up.  
BEFORE USING YOUR BATTERY CHARGER  
It is important to understand your charger's requirements. This section will tell you about  
your charger's electrical requirements and how to prepare a battery for charging.  
PLUGGING IT IN  
ASSEMBLING YOUR CHARGER  
Included with your battery charger are  
two cord wrap cleats for storage of the  
clamp cables.  
Your charger requires a 120V AC wall  
outlet receptacle installed according to all  
local codes and ordinances.  
To install, align the two tabs to corre-  
spond with the two receptacles and push  
until you hear a snap.  
Wrap clamp cables after unplugging the  
power cord from the AC wall outlet and  
store your charger in a dry location.  
3
USING AN EXTENSION CORD  
The use of an extension cord is not rec-  
ommended. If you must use an extension  
cord, please make sure that you follow  
these guidelines:  
• Make sure that the wire size is large  
enough for its length and for the AC  
ampere rating, as specified in the chart  
below.  
MINIMUM RECOMMENDED EXTENSION CORD  
• Make sure that the pins on charger's  
power cord fit firmly into the extension  
cord, and that the extension cord fits  
firmly into the receptacle.  
Length of Cord, in Feet  
AWG* Size of Cord  
25  
18  
50  
16  
100 150  
12 10  
*AWG=American Wire Gauge  
• Checkthattheextensioncordisproperly  
wired and in good electrical condition.  
PREPARING YOUR BATTERY TO BE CHARGED  
It is important that you read and follow these guidelines while you are preparing to charge  
the battery.  
• Make sure that you have a 6 or 12 volt  
lead-acid battery. Determine voltage of  
battery by referring to vehicle owner’s  
manual or the battery markings. Charge  
battery initially at charger’s lowest rate.  
Take time to read all of the battery  
manufacturer’s specific precautions,  
such as removing or not removing vent  
capswhilecharging, andrecommended  
rates of charge.  
• Cleanthebatteryterminals.Becarefulto  
keep corrosion from getting in or around  
your eyes or on your hands.  
• Be sure that the area around the bat-  
tery is well ventilated while it is being  
charged. Gas can be forcefully blown  
away by using a piece of cardboard or  
other nonmetallic material as a fan.  
• Wearsafetyglasses.SeeadditionalPer-  
sonal Safety Precautions” on page 3.  
• If it is necessary to remove the battery  
from the vehicle to charge it, always  
remove the grounded terminal from the  
battery first. Turn off all vehicle acces-  
sories to avoid sparks from occurring.  
• If required, for batteries with removable  
ventcaps,adddistilledwatertoeachcell  
until the battery acid reaches the level  
recommendedbythemanufacturer.This  
willhelppurgeexcessivegasesfromthe  
cells.Becarefulnottooverfill.Ifyouhave  
asealedbatterywithnon-removablevent  
caps, no action is necessary.  
NOTE: Amarine (boat) battery installed  
in a boat must be removed and charged  
on shore.  
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS  
NOTE: A marine (boat) boat battery must be removed and charged on shore. To charge  
it on board requires equipment specially designed for marine use.  
IMPORTANT: Follow all safety instructions and precautions when charging your battery.  
Wear complete eye protection and clothing protection. Charge your battery in a well-  
ventilated area.  
CHARGING BATTERY IN THE  
VEHICLE:  
3. Note the polarity of the battery posts by  
checkingtheidentificationmarksonthe  
battery: POSITIVE (POS, P or +) and  
NEGATIVE (NEG, N or -). The positive  
post is usually larger than the negative  
post.  
1. Avoid personal injury by keeping clear  
of fan blades, belts, pulleys and other  
engine parts.  
2. Avoiddamagingthechargerbykeeping  
the power cord and output cords away  
from the hood, door or moving engine  
parts.  
4. Identify which battery post is grounded  
or connected to the chassis. THIS IS  
NORMALLY THE NEGATIVE POST.  
4
away from the battery, remove the out-  
put clamp from the chassis or engine  
block. Finally, remove the output clamp  
from the battery post.  
9. Clean and store the charger in a dry  
location.  
ChARGING BATTERY RE-  
NEGATIVE GROUNDED SYS-  
BAT-  
POW-  
TO  
5. Connecting to a negative-grounded  
system: Connect the red (POSITIVE)  
output clamp to the POSITIVE post of  
the battery. Rock and twist the clamp  
back and forth to be sure a solid electri-  
cal connection is made. Then connect  
the black (NEGATIVE) output clamp  
to a heavy, unpainted metal part of the  
chassis or engine block, away from the  
battery (see figure). DO NOT connect  
clamptonegativebatterypost,carbure-  
tor, fuel line or sheet metal part.  
1. Note the polarity of the battery posts by  
checkingtheidentificationmarksonthe  
battery: POSITIVE (POS, P or +) and  
NEGATIVE (NEG, N or -). The positive  
post is usually larger than the negative  
post.  
Connecting to a positive-grounded  
system: Connect the black (NEGA-  
TIVE) output clamp to the NEGATIVE  
post of the battery. Rock and twist the  
clamp back and forth to be sure a solid  
electricalconnectionismade.Thencon-  
nect the red (POSITIVE) output clamp  
to a heavy, unpainted metal part of the  
chassis or engine block, away from  
the battery. DO NOT connect clamp to  
positive battery post, carburetor, fuel  
line or sheet metal part.  
2. Attach at least a 24-inch-long, 6-gauge  
(AWG), insulated battery cable to  
NEGATIVE (NEG, N or -) battery post.  
Rockandtwisttheclampbackandforth  
to be sure a solid electrical connection  
is made.  
3. Connect the red (POSITIVE) output  
clamp to the POSITIVE battery post.  
Rockandtwisttheclampbackandforth  
to be sure a solid electrical connection  
is made.  
6. Plug power cord into a 120V AC wall  
outlet. The charger will be set to the  
default state of 12V REGULAR battery  
type, no charge rate (tester mode). The  
CONNECTED LED should be lit. If the  
CONNECTED LED is not lit, check for  
correct cable connections.  
4. Position yourself as far away from the  
battery as possible, and then connect  
the black (NEGATIVE) output clamp to  
the free end of the cable.  
5. Plug the power cord into a 120V AC  
wall outlet. The charger will be set to the  
default state of 12V REGULAR battery  
type, no charge rate (tester mode). The  
CONNECTED LED should be lit. If the  
CONNECTED LED is not lit, check for  
correct cable connections.  
7. Press the appropriate control buttons  
to select the desired charge rate and  
battery type. Within a few seconds,  
the CHARGING (yellow) LED should  
light and the charging process should  
start.  
8. To disconnect the charger, unplug its  
powercordbeforeattemptingtodiscon-  
nect the output clamps. Then, standing  
6. Press the appropriate control buttons  
to select the desired charge rate and  
battery type. Within a few seconds,  
5
the CHARGING (yellow) LED should  
light and the charging process should  
start.  
NOTE:Duringthestartingsequencelisted  
above, the charger is set to one of three  
states.  
7. To disconnect the charger, unplug its  
powercordbeforeattemptingtodiscon-  
nectthechargerclamps.Then,standing  
away from the battery, remove the out-  
put clamp from the NEGATIVE battery  
post. Finally, remove the output clamp  
from the POSITIVE battery post.  
1. Wait for cranking - The charger  
waits until the engine is actually being  
cranked before delivering 125 amps  
for engine start. The charger delivers  
charge at a rate of up to 15 amps while  
waiting and will reset if the engine  
is not cranked within 15 minutes. (If  
the charger resets, it sets itself for a  
SMALL BATTERY charge and 12V  
REGULAR BATTERY type.) While  
waiting for cranking, the digital display  
shows the battery voltage (it can’t be  
set to percent).  
8. Clean and store the charger in a dry  
location.  
USING ENGINE START  
Your battery charger can be used to jump  
start your car if the battery is low. Fol-  
low these instructions on how to use the  
ENGINE START feature.  
2. Cranking - When cranking is detected,  
thechargerwillautomaticallydeliverup  
to its maximum output (at least 125A)  
as required by the starting system for  
up to 5 seconds or until the engine  
cranking stops. The digital display  
shows a countdown of the remaining  
crank time in seconds. It starts at 5 and  
counts down to 0.  
IMPORTANT: Follow all safety instructions  
and precautions when charging your bat-  
tery. Wear complete eye protection and  
clothing protection. Charge your battery  
in a well-ventilated area.  
IMPORTANT: Using the ENGINE START  
feature WITHOUT a battery installed in  
the vehicle could cause damage to the  
vehicle’s electrical system.  
3. Cool Down - After cranking, the char-  
ger enters a mandatory 3-minute (180  
second) cool down state. During this  
period,nosettingscanbechanged.The  
buttons are ignored. The digital display  
indicates the remaining cool down time  
in seconds. It starts at 180 and counts  
down to 0. The ENGINE START LED  
blinks once every second. During the  
cool down period, no current is deliv-  
ered to the battery. After 3 minutes, the  
ENGINE START LED will stop blinking  
andwilllightcontinuously,indicatingthat  
anothercrankcyclecanbestarted.The  
digital display will change from display-  
ing the countdown back to displaying  
the battery voltage. The CHARGING  
LED will then be lit.  
1. Forbatteryconnections,seepage4and  
follow instructions 1 – 6 of CHARGING  
BATTERY IN THE VEHICLE. With the  
chargerpluggedinandconnectedtothe  
batteryofthevehicle,presstheCHARGE  
STARTbuttonuntiltheENGINESTART  
LED is lit. Only the ENGINE START,  
CHARGING,CONNECTED,andVOLT-  
AGE LEDs should be lit, unless the 6V  
REGULAR battery type has been se-  
lected. In that case, the 6V REGULAR  
LED will also be lit.  
2. Crank the engine for no more than 5  
seconds. If engine does not start, wait  
3 minutes before cranking again.  
ENGINE STARTING NOTES:  
3. Aftertheenginestarts,unplugthepower  
cord before disconnecting the output  
clamps from the battery.  
• If the battery is disconnected during  
the cool down period, the charger will  
reset.  
4. Clean and store the charger in a dry  
location.  
6
USING YOUR BATTERY CHARGER  
OVERVIEW  
COMPLETION OF CHARGING:  
Charge completion is indicated by  
the CHARGED (green) LED; when  
lit, the charger has stopped charging  
and switched to the Maintain Mode of  
operation, if the DEEP CYCLE battery type  
was selected. For other battery types, the  
CHARGED LED comes on when the bat-  
tery is charged enough for normal use.  
Using this battery charger is very simple.  
First, connect the battery and AC power  
following the precautions listed under  
“OPERATINGINSTRUCTIONS”. Thense-  
lect the appropriate BATTERY TYPE and  
charge rate for your battery. The charger  
will then do everything automatically. This  
section explains a few details.  
CHARGING: If the charger does not  
detect a properly connected battery,  
the CONNECTED (yellow) LED will not  
light. Charging will not begin unless the  
CONNECTED LED is on. When charging  
begins, the CHARGING LED will be lit.  
MAINTAIN MODE: When the CHARGED  
(green) LED is lit, the charger has started  
Maintain Mode. This mode of operation is  
also known as Float-Mode Monitoring. In  
this mode, the charger keeps the battery  
fully charged by delivering a small amount  
of current, when necessary. The voltage  
is maintained at a level determined by the  
BATTERY TYPE selected.  
AUTOMATIC SHUT OFF: When the  
SMALL BATTERY or REGULAR BAT-  
TERY charge is selected, the charger  
is set to perform an automatic charge.  
When an automatic charge is performed,  
the charger stops charging automatically  
after the battery is charged.  
NOTE: For battery types other than DEEP  
CYCLE, the charged LED might be lit be-  
fore Maintain Mode is started.  
GENERAL CHARGING NOTES:  
The charger is designed to control its  
cooling fan for efficient operation. Con-  
sequently, it is normal for the fan to start  
and stop when maintaining a fully charged  
battery. The fan does not run in Tester  
Mode.  
ABORTED CHARGE: If charging can’t  
be completed normally, charging will be  
aborted. When charging is aborted, the  
charger’s output is shut off and the digital  
display blinks on and off. In that state, the  
charger ignores all buttons. To reset from  
after an aborted charge, either disconnect  
the battery or unplug the charger.  
If the charge mode is changed after charg-  
ing has started (by pressing the CHARGE  
START or BATTERY TYPE button), the  
charging process will be restarted.  
DESULFATION MODE: If a battery is  
left discharged for an extended period,  
it could become sulfated and not accept  
a normal charge. If the charger detects a  
sulfated battery, the charger will switch to  
a special mode of operation designed for  
such batteries. Activation of the special  
desulfation mode is indicated by blinking  
the CHARGING LED. If successful, nor-  
mal charging will resume after the battery  
is desulfated. The CHARGING LED will  
then stop blinking and light continuously.  
Desulfation could take up to 10 hours. If  
desulfation fails, charging will be aborted  
and the digital display will blink.  
The voltage displayed during charging  
will usually be higher than the battery’s  
resting voltage.  
The voltage displayed during charging is  
the battery voltage, not the RMS charg-  
ing voltage.  
7
CHARGER CONTROLS  
DIGITAL DISPLAY  
DIGITAL DISPLAY BUTTON  
With the exception of AGM and gel cell  
batteries, all other battery types may or  
may not have vent caps. Vent caps are  
located on top of the battery and provide a  
meanstoadddistilledwaterwhenneeded.  
Batteriesshouldbemarkedwiththeirtype.  
If charging a battery that is not marked,  
check the manual of the item that uses the  
battery. If the battery type is unknown, use  
the 12V REGULAR setting. Make sure the  
batterycomplieswiththesafetyinstructions  
on page 2.  
Use this button to set the function of the  
digital display to one of the following.  
BATTERY %: The digital display shows  
an estimate of the percent of charge of  
the battery connected to the charger  
battery clamps.  
VOLTAGE:Thedigitaldisplayshowsthe  
voltage at the charger battery clamps in  
DC volts.  
• ALTERNATOR %: The digital display  
shows an estimated percentage of the  
output of the vehicle charging system  
connectedtothechargerbatteryclamps  
as compared to a properly functioning  
system.  
CHARGE START BUTTON  
Use this button to set the maximum charge  
rate to one of the following.  
• SMALL BATTERY: Provides 2A for  
charging small batteries such as those  
commonlyusedingardentractors,snow  
mobiles and motorcycles. The 2A rate  
is not intended to be used as a trickle  
charger for larger batteries.  
REGULAR BATTERY: Automatically  
switches between 15 and 40 amps, or  
provides 15 amps continuous depend-  
ing on the battery. Use for charging  
automotive batteries, marine batteries,  
and deep cycle batteries. Not intended  
for industrial applications.  
BATTERY TYPE BUTTON  
Use this button to set the type of battery to  
be charged to one of the following.  
12V REGULAR: This is the type of  
battery usually used in cars, trucks,  
and motorcycles. These batteries have  
vent caps and are often marked “low  
maintenance” or “maintenance-free”.  
12V DEEP CYCLE: Deep cycle batter-  
ies are usually marked as “deep cycle”  
or “marine”. Deep cycle batteries are  
usually larger than the other types.  
12V AGM/GEL: AGM and gel cell bat-  
teries have sealed cases without vent  
caps. Such batteries are often smaller  
than the other types.  
ENGINESTART:Provides125ampsfor  
cranking an engine with a weak or run  
downbattery.Alwaysuseincombination  
with a battery.  
6V REGULAR: This is the type of bat-  
tery usually used in antique and some  
specializedvehicles.The6VREGULAR  
batterytypeisnotselectableforbatteries  
greater than 8.5V DC.  
• OFF: Charger returns to tester mode  
and the SMALL BATTERY, REGULAR  
BATTERY and ENGINE START LEDs  
all stay OFF.  
8
CONTROL PANEL GUIDE  
9
USING THE BUILT-IN BATTERY TESTER  
OVERVIEW  
TESTER WITHOUT TIME LIMIT  
If either the DIGITAL DISPLAY or BAT-  
TERY TYPE button is pressed within the  
first 15 minutes after the PSC-12500A is  
powered up, it will remain a tester (not a  
charger) indefinitely, unless a charge rate  
is selected.  
This battery charger has a built-in battery  
tester that displays either an accurate bat-  
tery voltage or an estimate of the battery’s  
relative charge based on the battery volt-  
age and the Battery Council International  
scale.  
TESTING SEQUENCE  
TESTING AFTER CHARGING  
There are four basic steps required to use  
the PSC-12500A as a battery tester.  
After the PSC-12500A has been changed  
from tester to charger (by selecting a  
charge rate), it remains a charger. To  
change the PSC-12500A back to a tester,  
press the CHARGE START button until all  
charge rate LEDs are off.  
1. Connect the charger battery clamps to  
the battery. Be sure to follow all of the  
precautions listed under “OPERATING  
INSTRUCTIONS”.  
TESTER STATUS LEDs  
2. Connect the charger power cord to a  
120V AC wall outlet. Again, be sure to  
follow all of the precautions listed under  
“OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS”.  
When the PSC-12500A is operating as a  
battery tester, the status LEDs light under  
the following conditions:  
• The CHARGED (green) LED will light if  
a charged battery is tested.  
3. If necessary, press the BATTERY  
TYPE button until the correct type is  
indicated.  
• The CHARGING (yellow) LED does not  
light in the battery test mode.  
4. Read the voltage on the digital display  
or press the DIGITAL DISPLAY button  
to set the tester to BATTERY % and  
read the battery percent.  
• TheCONNECTEDLEDlightsifaproperly  
connected battery is detected.  
• When the tester digital display is set to  
VOLTAGE,theCHARGEDandCHARG-  
ING LEDs won't light (it could be testing  
a battery or an alternator).  
TESTER AND CHARGER  
When first turned on, the PSC-12500A  
operates only as a tester, not as a charger.  
To continue to use it as only a tester, avoid  
pressing the CHARGE START button. Se-  
lecting a charge rate activates the battery  
charger and deactivates the tester. Press-  
ing the CHARGE START button when the  
ENGINE START LED is lit (except during  
the 180 second cool down) will shut off the  
charger and activate the tester.  
INITIAL PERCENT CALCULATION  
When a battery % is calculated for the first  
time after connecting a battery, the digital  
display will show three dashes (“---”) for a  
period as long as several seconds while  
the tester analyzes the battery.  
NOTES FOR TESTING BATTERY %  
A recently charged battery could have a  
temporarily high voltage due to what is  
known as “surface charge”. The voltage  
of such a battery will gradually drop during  
the period immediately after the charging  
system is disengaged. Consequently, the  
tester could display inconsistent values  
POWER-UP IDLE TIME LIMIT  
If no button is pressed within 15 minutes  
after the PSC-12500A is first powered up,  
it will automatically switch from tester to  
charger, if a battery is connected. In that  
case, the charger will be set for the SMALL  
BATTERYcharge rate and 12V REGULAR  
battery type.  
10  
for such a battery. For a more accurate  
reading, the surface charge should be  
removed by temporarily creating a load on  
the battery, such as by turning on lights or  
other accessories.  
The battery % ranges from 0 to 100.  
The battery tester is only designed to test  
batteries. Testing a device with a rapidly  
changing voltage could yield unexpected  
or inaccurate results.  
USING THE BUILT-IN ALTERNATOR TESTER  
This battery charger has a built-in alterna-  
tor tester that displays either an accurate  
alternator voltage or an estimate of the  
alternator’s relative output compared  
to normal alternators. The Alternator %  
values displayed should be taken as  
general reference, not precise diagnosis.  
The alternator tester functions the same  
as the battery tester (see previous sec-  
tion of this manual for details) with a few  
differences.  
TESTER STATUS LEDs  
When the PSC-12500A is operating as  
an alternator tester, the status LEDs light  
under the following conditions.  
• The CHARGED (green) LED will light if  
the output of the charging system is at  
the normally desired level.  
• The CHARGING (yellow) LED does not  
light in the alternator test mode.  
• TheCONNECTEDLEDlightsifaVOLT-  
AGE is detected.  
TESTING SEQUENCE  
• When the tester display mode is set to  
VOLTAGE,theCHARGEDandCHARG-  
ING LEDs won't light (it could be testing  
a battery or an alternator).  
There are three basic steps required to  
use the PSC-12500A as an alternator  
tester.  
1. Connect the charger battery clamps to  
the battery or charging system. Be sure  
to follow all of the precautions listed un-  
der “OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS”.  
ALTERNATOR TESTING NOTES  
• Thealternatorpercentdisplaycanrange  
from 0 to 199.  
2. Connect the charger power cord to a  
120V AC wall outlet. Again, be sure to  
followalloftheprecautionslistedunder  
“OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS”.  
• The DIGITAL DISPLAY cannot be set  
to ALTERNATOR % during charging.  
3. Startthevehicleandturnonthevehicle’s  
headlights. Read the voltage on the  
digital display or press the DIGITAL  
DISPLAY button to set the tester to AL-  
TERNATOR % and read the alternator  
percent.  
11  
BATTERY PERCENT AND CHARGE TIME  
This charger adjusts the charging time in  
order to charge the battery completely,  
efficiently and safely. The microproces-  
sor automatically makes the necessary  
decisions. However, this section includes  
guidelines that can be used to estimate  
charging times.  
There are some important facts to keep in  
mind when charging a battery.  
• When the display indicates 77%  
charged, the battery has been charged  
enough to start most vehicles and has  
already been charged as much as by  
many other battery chargers.  
The duration of the charging process  
depends on three factors:  
• Whenthedisplayindicates85%charged,  
thebatteryhasalreadybeenchargedat  
least as much as by most other battery  
chargers.  
1. Battery State – If a battery has only  
been slightly discharged, it can be  
charged in less than a few hours. The  
same battery could take up to 10 hours  
if very weak. The battery state can be  
estimated by using the built-in tester  
(see page 10). The lower the reading  
the longer charging will take.  
• The battery % shown in tester mode is  
anestimatebasedonthebatteryvoltage  
and the Battery Council International  
scale. The battery % shown in charger  
modeisanestimateoftherelativecharge  
in the battery compared to the charge it  
should have if the charging process is  
allowed to complete.  
2. Battery rating – A higher rated battery  
will take longer to charge than a lower  
ratedbatteryunderthesameconditions.  
Abatteryisratedinampere-hours(AH),  
reservecapacity(RC)andcoldcranking  
amps (CCA). The lower the rating the  
quicker the battery will be charged.  
• Thebattery%shownintestermodecan  
be used to estimate the relative charge  
time. The lower the % shown, the longer  
the charge time for a given battery.  
3. Charge rate – The charge rate is mea-  
sured in amps. This charger provides  
charge rates of 2A, 15A and 40A. The  
125A rate is for engine start only. The  
2A rate is for charging smaller batteries  
suchasthoseusedformotorcyclesand  
garden tractors. Such batteries should  
not be charged using the REGULAR  
BATTERY setting. The 15A and 40A  
rates are for charging larger batteries.  
Intheregularbatterymode,thecharger  
begins at the 15A rate and increases  
the charge rate if it is determined that  
the battery can accept the 40A rate.  
All charging modes will decrease the  
charge rate as the battery approaches  
maximum charge.  
• The battery % shown in charger mode  
is an indication of the relative progress  
of the charging process. The higher the  
battery%displayed,thelesschargetime  
remains.  
• The more a battery is discharged, the  
faster it absorbs charge from a charger.  
Thatmeansthatthebattery%increases  
faster at the beginning of the charging  
process than at the end. In other words,  
it takes longer for the battery to absorb  
the last few percent of charge than the  
first several percent.  
After the charging process has started, the  
digital display can be used to determine  
charging progress by selecting the BAT-  
TERY % mode.  
12  
CHARGING TIPS  
Read this entire manual before using your charger. The tips below serve only as a guide  
for specific situations.  
If your vehicle won’t start: You don’t  
need to fully charge a battery to start your  
vehicle. If the charger won’t start your  
vehicle using the ENGINE START rate, try  
charging the battery using the REGULAR  
BATTERY rate for 10 or 15 minutes. That  
should charge the battery enough to al-  
low the ENGINE START rate to start the  
vehicle. If the vehicle will then be operated  
continuously for an extended period (such  
as a long drive), the vehicle could charge  
the battery back to normal during that  
period. If the vehicle will only be operated  
for a short period (short drive), the battery  
might need to be charged again before it  
could start the vehicle again.  
Reviving your battery: If you only wish  
to charge your battery enough to operate  
your vehicle, you don’t need to wait for the  
entire charging process to be completed.  
When the charger displays a battery %  
of 77 or more (see page 12), the battery  
has usually been charged enough for the  
vehicle to start and operate normally.  
Completing an interrupted charge: If  
the charging process has been interrupted  
and restarted after the charger displays a  
battery % of 85 or more, the charger could  
go straight to Maintain Mode (see page 7).  
However, if the original charge was started  
using the REGULAR BATTERY rate, the  
charge can often be completed using the  
SMALL BATTERY setting.  
MAINTENANCE AND CARE  
A minimal amount of care can keep your battery charger working properly for years.  
1. Clean the clamps each time you are finished charging. Wipe off any battery fluid  
that may have come in contact with the clamps to prevent corrosion.  
2. Coil the input and output cords neatly when storing the charger. This will help pre-  
vent accidental damage to the cords and charger.  
3. Occasional cleaning of the case of the charger with a soft cloth will keep the finish  
shiny.  
13  
TROUBLESHOOTING  
Performance problems often can be corrected by the user. Please read through this chart  
for a possible solution to common problems.  
PROBLEM  
POSSIBLE CAUSE  
SOLUTION  
The battery is connected  
and the charger is on,  
but isn't charging.  
The charger is in tester  
mode, not charger mode.  
Press the CHARGE  
START button to activate  
charging and select a  
charge rate.  
Indicator lights are lit in  
an erratic manner not  
explained in the “Using  
Your Battery Charger”  
section.  
You might have acciden-  
tally activated a special  
diagnostic mode.  
Make sure nothing is  
touching the control  
panel, then unplug the  
charger and plug it in  
again.  
The charger may be  
defective.  
Return to place of pur-  
chase for replacement.  
The DIGITAL DISPLAY  
always flashes before  
the battery is completely  
charged.  
The incorrect BATTERY  
TYPE may have been  
selected.  
Reset the charger by  
briefly unplugging it or  
briefly disconnecting the  
negative battery clip. Se-  
lect the desired charge  
rate (SMALL or REGU-  
LAR BATTERY) and  
BATTERY TYPE again, if  
necessary.  
This will happen if the  
battery did not reach full  
charge within 24 hours.  
May be due to a very large  
battery or a bank of batter-  
ies requiring more power  
than a 1540 amp  
charger can deliver within  
24 hours. The battery may  
also be faulty.  
Engine crank time is less  
than specified.  
Starter motor may be  
drawing more than 125  
amps.  
Charge the battery at the  
REGULAR BATTERY  
rate for 10 to 15 minutes  
then crank the engine.  
The green CHARGED  
LED lights a few minutes  
after connecting to the  
battery.  
The battery may be  
fully charged or recently  
charged, leaving the bat-  
tery voltage high enough  
to appear to be fully  
charged.  
If the battery is in a ve-  
hicle, turn the headlights  
on for a few minutes  
to reduce the battery  
voltage and try charging  
again.  
The incorrect BATTERY  
TYPE may have been  
selected.  
Reset the charger by  
briefly unplugging it or  
briefly disconnecting the  
negative battery clip.  
Select the desired charge  
rate (SMALL or REGU-  
LAR BATTERY) and  
BATTERY TYPE again, if  
necessary.  
14  
WARRANTY  
SCHUMACHER ELECTRIC CORPORATION,  
801 BUSINESS CENTER DRIVE,  
MOUNT PROSPECT, ILLINOIS 60056-2179  
MAKES THIS LIMITED WARRANTY TO THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER AT RETAIL OF  
THIS PRODUCT. THIS LIMITED WARRANTY IS NOT TRANSFERABLE.  
Schumacher Electric Corporation warrants this battery charger for five years from date  
of purchase at retail against defective material or workmanship. If such should occur, the  
unit will be repaired or replaced at the option of the manufacturer. It is the obligation of  
the purchaser to forward the unit together with proof of purchase, transportation and/or  
mailing charges prepaid to the manufacturer or its authorized representative.  
This limited warranty is void if the product is misused, subjected to careless handling, or  
repaired by anyone other than the manufacturer or its authorized representative.  
The manufacturer makes no warranty other than this limited warranty and expressly  
excludes any implied warranty including any warranty for consequential damages.  
THIS IS THE ONLY EXPRESS LIMITED WARRANTYAND THE MANUFACTURER NEI-  
THER ASSUMES NOR AUTHORIZES ANYONE TO ASSUME OR MAKE ANY OTHER  
OBLIGATION TOWARDS THE PRODUCT OTHER THAN THIS EXPRESS LIMITED  
WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER MAKES NO WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABIL-  
ITY OR FITNESS FOR PURPOSE OF THIS PRODUCTAND EXPRESSLY EXCLUDES  
SUCH FROM THIS LIMITED WARRANTY.  
SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL  
OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR LENGTH OF IMPLIED WARRANTY SO THE  
ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.  
THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTSAND YOU MAYALSO HAVE  
OTHER RIGHTS THAT VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.  
WARRANTY VALIDATION: The enclosed “Warranty Validation Card” must be completed  
and mailed within 10 days of product purchase to activate this limited warranty.  
15  

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